Already dating back to March 2017, the French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stated that between 160 and 190 Airbus Helicopters built Hélicoptère Interarmée Léger (HIL) Guépard will be ordered to replace the Alouette 3, Dauphin, Gazelle, Fennec and Panther with all three armed services. In May 2019, the French Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that the first deliveries of the Guépard will be advanced by two years (2028 changed to 2026) and that the first orders are expected to be placed in 2021.
On 22 December 2021, the Direction générale de l'armement (DGA, Armament General Directorate) formalised an order for 169 H160M Guépard helicopters for €10 billion. The Aviation légère de l’armée de Terre (ALAT, Army Light Aviation) will get 80, the Marine Nationale (French Navy) 49, and the Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (AAE, French Air Force) will get 40 H160Ms.
Some of the helicopters that will be replaced by the Guépard have been in service for over 40 years. Eleven additional H160s were also ordered, including ten H160s for the National Gendarmerie. According to the ministry, the 11th H160 is intended for the DGA "to ensure flight tests for the development, qualification of equipment and future weapons systems".
In 2020 and in May 2021, six interim H160s were ordered for use with the Marine Nationale to be operated for a period of ten years. They will take over the SAR missions currently conducted by the NH90s and Panthers, allowing these combat helicopters to fulfil their main tasks at sea on board combat vessels.
The H160M Guépard will be equipped with a Safran Euroflir 410 EO/IR system; a FlytX avionics suite from Thales. The pilots will use the Thales TopOwl Helmet-mounted Sight & Display. The Guepard will also carry a self-protection suite, a satellite communication system, a tactical data link system, and a weapon package.
The first production H160 made its maiden flight at Marseille-Marignane on 14 December 2018. Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first-H160 to Japanese operator All Nippon Helicopter (ANH) in December 2021.
Photo by Airbus Helicopters
Source : scramble.nl
